Court Marriage in Nepal: Complete Guide & Legal Process

Complete Guide to Marriage by Registration in Nepal

The court marriage in Nepal, also called marriage by registration, is governed by the Chapter on Marriage of the Civil Code 2017 (2074). This process allows both Nepalese citizens and foreigners to legally marry in Nepal, whether they are residing in Nepal or abroad.

Procedure for Marriage Registration in Nepal

1. Marriage by Registration through District Court (Court Marriage)

This is the most common method for legal marriage registration in Nepal, especially for couples who have not performed religious or social ceremonies.

2. Registration of Marriage at the Local Level

Couples who have already performed social or religious marriage rituals can register their marriage at the ward office of their permanent address.

3. Marriage by Registration through Embassy or Consulate Office

Couples residing abroad or wishing to marry through a Nepalese embassy or consulate can register their marriage under this process.

Eligibility and Minimum Age for Marriage in Nepal

Key Eligibility Criteria

• Both parties must agree to accept each other as husband and wife.
• They must not be close relatives to avoid incest.
• Both must be single at the time of application.
• Both individuals must be at least 20 years old.

Requirements for Foreign Citizens for Court Marriage in Nepal

Documents Needed for Foreign Nationals

• A No-Objection Letter from the respective Embassy or Consulate in Nepal.
• Translated Notarized Copy of the Family Law (Marriage Law) of the foreign country in Nepali.
• A minimum of 15 Days Proof of Residence in Nepal from the concerned local level ward office.
• Copy of Passport with Visa.

Marriage by Registration through Embassy or Consulate Office

According to Section 76 (2) of the Muluki Civil Code, 2074, couples residing abroad can apply for marriage registration to the Embassy of Nepal or the Consulate General.

Required Documents for Court Marriage in Nepal

For Nepalese Citizens

• Citizenship Certificate
• Single Status Certificate from the local ward office
• Temporary Resistance Certificate ( Atleast one either Husband or Wife shall have citizenship issued from that district to apply for court marriage within that district court. Say, if one of them have citizenship issued from Kathmandu district, then they can apply for court marriage in Kathmandu district, but if they both have citizenship outside of kathmandu district, then either one of them shall make temporary resistance certificate of atleast 15 days from ward office of any local levels of Kathmandu district.)

For Foreign Nationals

• Valid Passport
• No-Objection Letter
• Proof of Residence

Summary of Required Documents

SN	Documents	Remarks
1.	Citizenship / Passport	Nepalese citizens can conclude court marriage through their citizenship or passport. Foreign citizens must provide a valid passport. A notarized copy must be submitted with the application.
2.	Single Status Certificate	Nepalese citizens should obtain this certificate from their local ward office. Foreign nationals should get it from their country's government office, along with a No-Objection letter.
3.	Two Witnesses	Two witnesses of legal age must be present at the court for marriage registration. Relatives are preferred as witnesses.
4.	4 Photos Each	4 passport-sized photos of each person with a white background.
5.	Recommendation of Temporary Residence	Foreigners and Nepalese citizens applying outside their permanent district must provide proof of residence for at least 15 days from the concerned local level ward office. ( If both Husband and Wife are Nepalese citizen but have permanent address other than that district, say citizenship of Husband from Kaski and citizenship of Wife from Chitwan district and want to do court marriage in Kathmandu, then either one of them shall make proof of temporary resistance from any ward of Kathmandu with atleast 15 days of resistance. If one of them is foreigner and other from outside of that district, then both husband and wife shall make certificate of temporary resistance
6.	Application for Marriage by Registration	A completed application form, along with a fee of NPR 500, should be submitted to the district court.

Once the application is submitted and all criteria are fulfilled, the district judge will verify the authenticity of the documents and conclude the marriage. The court will issue the marriage certificate. The process generally takes 2 working days.

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. FinLex Associates holds exclusive rights to this content.